The ballroom's doors were suddenly wide open. As if we had been caught red-handed, Eustass and I quickly moved away from each other. Once again, it was Toba:
"Captain! The light's back, does that mean you got rid of her?" He asked, excited.
"The little brat is the one who did it". He ruffled my hair like a child. "Did you guys not see _____ was not following you?" He said, somewhat angry.
"Ehm, well, yeah. The thing is she told us to trust her and that we should not follow her, so..." Toba justified. Kid looked at me and then turned to look at Toba again.
"I didn't hear anything".
"I made them hear my voice with an auditive illusion. Everyone except you". I explained. "I took the opportunity when it was dark to hide behind the curtains to attack Umbra by surprise, and I created a mirage of me as a distraction". I bit the inside of my cheek, remembering what had happened instants before.
"Was it necessary to make me believe you were dead?" He was still mad about it.
"I'm sorry, I thought..."
"You thought what? You thought of disobeying my orders and risking your life?" He rose his voice.
"You also intended to risk your life being alone". I answered him, slightly bothered by his hypocrisy.
"Nothing would have happened to me".
"You didn't have a plan". I exclaimed.
"Everything was under control".
"It wasn't! What if she had shot you when you couldn't see shit? Could you have dodged the bullet so easily?" Kid was shocked by that, but he pretended to be calm.
Toba interrupted us.
"I wouldn't want to meddle in your newlywed's arguments, but Heat's fire has gotten out of hand, and everything's burning; we should get the fuck out of here". He leaned on the door.
"I am the captain, and you will follow my orders". He looked at me, menacingly, making me feel small. I scoffed. I wanted to stay silent, but Eustass pride was so big it must have slipped into my head a bit.
"You only give orders because you're unable to accept people helping you". I said. Eustass must have felt like if I had just stabbed him, seeing his expression. "What are you afraid of?" I confronted him rhetorically with a serious look. The captain did not answer and didn't have any intentions to do so.
Toba brought a hand to his mouth, hiding his panicked face.
"Why the fuck are they still there?" Killer's voice appeared behind Toba.
I stopped fighting for the control of the situation when my pupils left those of Eustass to look at the door. I sighed and headed for the door, the sound of my boots creating a fast rhythm on the floor among the sizzling fire.
The captain only started to march when I had disappeared out of his visual camp. I knew he was very angry when no one tried to talk to him. Not even when we exited the casino.
Or what was left of it, since the majority was falling, only leaving debris. Mostly, the ceiling and the walls. The pillars, made of marble, were still erect. I dodged a few clowns in tuxedos laying on the floor, and some civilians that didn't have time to escape.
Our entire crew was waiting for us outside (I supposed since I couldn't have told you if someone was missing), next to Patty and her workers. Walking away from Solaris, I got to know that Patty and the rest were the ones who helped Heat escape when he had been captured by Umbra, and then helped Killer and the others to fight with the henchmen. When Killer warned Wire, Chum and Toba to get ready, the doctor used his own den den mushi (I didn't know he had one) to notify the rest of the groups of the crew scattered around the island. I was surprised at the speed at which they had come, just in time.
Entering the city again, we saw a few persons who had previously run out of the casino, watching the sky.
"I-It's day-time? Darling, look, it's the sun". A lady I recognised as the woman who told us where the games were told her husband. More people around couldn't believe their eyes.
The Kid Pirates weren't the type to give explanations nor act like heroes, so they clearly ignored those persons and kept on walking to the ship. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Patty standing on a trash can to catch everyone's attention. She started to explain Umbra's true nature and how they had been tricked. Maybe she explained a bit too much when she shared her distress at not being able to hang her head in her brothel, for the corpse had burned.
"What will we do now?" A voice said.
"Aren't you going to help us?" A man tried to get some of the pirates' attention. He was so unlucky he grabbed Eustass' arm. He knew he had committed a mistake when his face turned around to look at him as if he was nothing more than a cockroach to him.
"Why would I have to help a bunch of rats in their rathole?" He said slowly, every word piercing that man's heart. Eustass wanted to grab his gun, realizing he was still wearing the suit and no weapon around. That made him angrier, and he kicked the man, sending him to fly against a wall.
Without any sign of empathy, he continued his way.
"Did you get the necessary supplies? The next voyage will be long". He asked to no one in particular.
"Yes, captain". A sailor answered. "Everything's in the ship".
"Great. Heat". He called him. "Burn this fucking island down".
The bluette nodded, opening his mouth so wide it transported me to the uncanny valley. The flames licked the streets and houses, quickly spreading around. People started to run, screaming, realizing they were in the presence of actual pirates. Some tried to save some valuable objects of their homes, others were leaving their homes, warning the rest of the danger.
The screams made us company until we reached the ship, where the captain ordered to shoot the cannons in direction to the city as a final blow. Luckily, Patty and the rest weren't left behind and also reached "their ship". I didn't want to see any more destruction, so I went to the cellar, to at least take off this stupid party dress and fake that everything was fine.
A white spot appeared in my vision half an hour later. I looked at the door.
"Why are you still wearing that suit?" I asked Killer.
"Why is the captain acting as if he was going to bite someone's head off?" I rolled my eyes.
"Why should I know the answer?"
"Why shouldn't you?"
"Why are you answering my questions with more questions?"
Killer sighed and sat on a barrel. It reminded me of the first day that... Well. The first day. It surprised me that nothing changed much between the two situations. I still felt I was being questioned by Killer's invisible stare and that he already knew the answers.
"Am I going to make you talk by force?" He threatened me, which took me by surprise, and I leaned my torso back a bit in response.
"Why can't you make your captain talk by force?" I answered with a low voice, not looking at him.
"It's easier to make you talk. Want to see?" He was getting up, so, not losing time, I lifted both hands to stop him.
"No, no, no need". I cleared my throat.
I gulped and breathed in deeply. I looked at him a few seconds and shrugged, not wanting to talk, but being forced to it.
"I guess he didn't like me disobeying his orders..." I looked at him, and he nodded.
"Go on".
"...that I made him believe I had been shot". I tried to say it faster as if it would make it less important.
"Anything else?"
"...I think I have offended him by telling him he only gives orders because he can't accept help from others and that he was scared of something". I turned my gaze away from him. Killer let out a thoughtful hum.
"You should go and apologize".
"Excuse me?" I almost laughed. "I've only told the truth!" I crossed my arms.
"Yes, but if you think you can win the captain in a pride contest". He got so close his mask almost hit me in the forehead. "you're very wrong".
"I don't care. It's not like I expected an apology from him". I sighed and saw his necktie was loose. "Who the fuck dressed you?" I tied it better around his shirt's collar. He stood still a few seconds before he straightened up.
"It must have gotten messed up during the fight. Anyway, if you are not going to try and calm him down, don't you think about upsetting him more. No one gets away when he's in a bad mood". He headed for the door, and I only nodded, not wanting to answer verbally.
When the door closed, it acted as the starting shot for my thoughts to go wild and start running for an unreachable goal.
Apologizing to Eustass? Really? I had already said sorry for acting so reckless and for having to see that mirage. But everything had gone fine! I was scared that, if Umbra had seen Eustass alone, she would have lunged for him, making it more difficult for me to attack her by surprise. In my mind, the fact that I was "still in the room" was the perfect distraction; she wouldn't have risked it to lunge for us two since she would have been in a disadvantage. So, lucky me, she stood in place and decided to attack from afar, allowing me to steal her gun and shoot her.
I admit it, I could have striven to make my mirage dodge the bullet, okay. But I think I speak for everyone when I say that it's not easy to focus when your captain's life and your own are in your hands, and I wasn't going to risk the mirage breaking in half or starting to move like a limp marionette to dodge a bullet. It was easier to take the bullet and make a bit of blood appear.
And, in the end, I had saved his ass. Did he thank me? No. The great Eustass Kid showing gratitude? What a joke.
When I saved Toba's ass it was the same. As if my efforts meant nothing to them. It looked like the redhead couldn't accept anybody's help. I was really curious as to the question I asked him. What was he afraid of? Of being in debt with someone? Of looking weak?
My stomach growled. I regretted not having eaten anything in the casino before everything burnt down because I didn't feel like going to the mess hall at all. The only thing I ate was that bit of cookie stick... I opened my eyes involuntarily. Great, now it was the perfect moment to remember how close Eustass lips had been. It's not the time to blush, _____!
But I had to admit it surprised me when he hugged after killing Umbra. It felt good to feel as if someone cared for you for a moment... I had forgotten that feeling.
But, having in mind it was Eustass we were talking about, the feeling didn't last long. Stupid stubborn red-haired ball.
I laid in my hammock, shoving the idea of me also being too stubborn away. I decided I would meditate about that the next day. Or the next week. We would see.
I woke up naturally when there was no light leaking in the room through the bottom of the door, letting me know it was already night. All those sudden changes in the light must have fucked up my biological clock. I was going to turn around to keep sleeping when I saw a tray of food next to the door. I smiled unconsciously, imagining it must have been Toba. I got up to get it. I was hungry.
"It's weird that he didn't wake me up". I bit a slice of bread. It was hard (God knows how many hours it had been sitting there), but beggars can't be choosers.
When I finished, I left the tray beneath the hammock. I laid down although I wasn't sleepy. Before falling into Morpheus' embrace, a lost thought made its way to my mind: I wondered how many time I had left until the captain asked me for the next island, now that there would be no fog when we exited Apricus' territory.
That night, I had a nightmare in Fatamorgana. I didn't know if I didn't remember, or I was lying to myself, not wanting to think about it.
»»—————————⍟——————————««
Sadly, I couldn't keep hibernating in my hammock. Earlier than later, I had to go out to perform my daily tasks such as cleaning and cooking. Luckily, the captain didn't eat in the mess hall with everyone. He probably was taking care of machines in his workshop or simply avoiding me.
The ambience felt heavy as if Kid's bad aura spread around the ship. You could tell it was more silent than usual. I imagined it was because the noise must have been a reason to upset him more, and they had learned the lesson.
Now, I was doing the dishes next to Killer and Nat. Seen from afar, it looked like a painting. A painting called: Awkwardness.
To my left, Killer, probably thinking about how stubborn I was for not wanting to apologize to the captain. To my right, Nat, the guy I beat up the betting night. In the middle, me, an unlucky dumbass.
Killer was washing the dishes with a sponge, he passed them to me, and I rinsed them and, lastly, I passed them to Nat, who dried them and left them on a pile. The awkward silence was broken by the last one:
"Hey, why don't you apologize to the captain already and do us a favour?" He said with a monotone voice. I passed him another plate.
"There's nothing to apologize for". I simply said.
"Doesn't matter. Make up something, but I'm tired of leaving in fear of my captain deciding to rip my arms off". He exaggerated. Or so I wanted to believe. I sighed, no intentions of pleasing him.
"Nat, you can leave, we'll finish the rest". Killer said.
"Eh? You sure?" He left one more plate. "Alright". He walked away. "See you tomorrow". He stretched while exiting through the door.
Not saying a thing, I kept rinsing, drying and leaving the plates on a new pile, fearing the first one would fall due to its height. Killer kept handing me plates nonstop, trying to tick me off.
I tried to keep up the rhythm, but when I was going to take a new plate, my hand touched his by mistake. The slight surprise made us both drop the plate. Lucky for us, it fell in the sink and didn't break. It was the last thing I needed.
"Sorry". I faked a cough and took the plate.
"No, I was distracted. Don't worry". He answered, not giving importance to the matter. If only Kid was as reasonable as Killer, I thought.
"Thinking again?" I asked whatever to fill the awkward silence.
"Yeah".
I nodded. I waited a bit, but he didn't say anything more.
"And... What are you thinking of?" I was starting to get curious. Maybe he was an aspiring philosopher? Mmm... For some reason, I couldn't imagine him asking himself existential questions while looking at the sky on the deck.
He didn't answer. He washed the last plate and gave it to me. I rinsed it, dried it and left it aside. He took two glasses out of the pile of the tableware and poured water in them. He offered me one of the glasses and sat on the table.
"We just cleaned that..." I muttered, but I took the drink and sat in front of him,
Why do I feel like I'm in trouble? He's going to start lecturing me, isn't he? I sipped from the glass and left it on the table. If I had to start running, I would be hydrated, and I wouldn't have to worry about not spilling the water. Just when I was going to ask him again, he spoke.
"Nothing of importance. At least not now".
He left his glass on the table. I wondered why he got a glass if he couldn't drink without a straw. Oh. I got up to get one of the straws Killer used from the drawer. I thought it was pretty cute how they weren't made of plastic because he didn't want to pollute; his straws were made of bamboo.
"Here". I put the straw in his glass and sat again. "Are you sure?" I returned to the previous subject. "I may not be the most appropriate person to talk about it in this ship, but... If something is worrying you, you can tell me". I smiled. Although I couldn't see his face, I could tell he smiled back.
"It's getting harder every time". He drank the contents of his glass and got up. "Wash that when you're finished". He said with a mocking tone.
"Yes, sir". I tried not to scoff. Killer brushed past my side and dropped something in my drink. "What are y-?"
I shut up immediately after seeing what was in the bottom of my glass.
It was my ring.
The ring I had thrown out of the window in the Red Fox tavern while performing my hoax. I got up the table, exalted, and I turned around to look at Killer, who was already closing the door as if nothing had happened.
He left.
I looked at the glass again. I threw the water down the drain and took my ring.
He knew I had been lying right from the start.
He had known all this time. My heart was beating faster than ever, and my throat was dry. But then, why didn't he inform the others?
I brought a hand to my forehead, trying to ease the pain with the cold of my palm. It was quickly replaced by warmth.
I felt I had walked inside the wolf's mouth at my own sweet will. Did that mean I had never been safe? At any moment they could have told me I was bluffing. And now Killer knew it... No, he already knew. He had always known and didn't say anything, why? I felt a knot in my throat due to my nervousness, and I covered my face with both hands.
I breathed deep in.
I put on the ring on my middle finger and washed the glasses, faking calmness. I would keep the ring in my bag, later. Or maybe it would be better to throw it to the ocean and get rid of it... Although I don't think anyone else paid attention to that detail except Killer. But it was also proof if he decided to tell on me... Whatever. With or without proof they would believe Killer. I would keep the ring, what difference does it make?
I stayed a while longer in the kitchen, leaning against the countertop, pinching my lip nervously. I felt that, if I went out, everyone would be waiting for me, looking at me, knowing I had lied to them.
I didn't want to go out... Luckily, we had already had dinner, and nobody should enter again...
I think I'm sleeping in the mess hall tonight.